Bumper.



UNrrEn STATES rarrnnrr ormoni.

ANDREAS M. SONNICI-ISEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 PROTEXMANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFILLINOIS.

BUMPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

rammed sept. s, raie.

Application led May 31, 1917. Serial No. 171,813.

usefulImprovements in Bumpers, of Which the following is aspecilication.

My invention relates to bumpers for automobiles or other vehicles and isa modied form of the bumper covered by my co-pend* ing` applicationSerial No. 171,812, tiled May 2,1, 1917, and has for its object theprovision of a bumper which may be secured to an automobile having asplash pan fitted to the front of the sideirame member.

A Jfurther object of the invention is the provision of a bumper that canbe secured to the splash pan or other plane vertical surface presentedat the front of the vehicle so that the bumper brackets may be extendedforward in a straightline and in aplaue parallel to the horizontal planeof the vehicle, thus holding the bumper' bar in such position that itwill squarely meet any shock or thrust against it.

My invention will be further and better understood by reference to thefollowing drawings in Which- A yFigure 1 is an elevation showing one otthe brackets of the bumper in position on' an automobile;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View dn line 2-2 of' Fig. 1 showing the manner ofattaching the y head portion to the bracket;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on line 3--3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line' 1 -l of Fig. 2. i

Referring now specifically to the drawings in which like referencecharacters refer to like parts throughout, 10 is the Jfront yportion ot'a splash pan in position on an automobile, With bracket 11 secured tothe automobile side frame member by the bolt 12, which passes throughthefront end of the side frame member of the automobile and the front endof the spring and holds these parts together in the usual manner. rihesplash pan is also secured to the side frame member of an automobile atits front end by this same bolt 12, as shown in Fig. 3. The rear end ofthe bracket 11 is held in position by means of a bolt 13 which passesthrough the splash pan. The Airont end portion oi' the bracket 1l iscylindrical i cross section and has inserted. therein a liaped member111, the shaft portion 1i of which extends into the cylindrical portionof the bracket and the head portion 14" of Which has a bumper bar 15secured thereto byv means of a bolt 16 and the bolt 16 passing through ahole in the bumper bar 15 and through the transverse slot 15aL in orderto provide for the lateral adjustment oit' theV bumper bar 15. Thecylindrical portion of the bracket 11 has an annular shoulder 17 termedon the inside its rear portieriI a. slot 18 being cut throughtlie'shonlder in order to provide for the insertion of the rear end ofthe shaft portion of the T-shaped member 14 which has a pin 19 insertedtherethrough thus forming a locking joint for holdingl the ...mber 1d inposition. The shaft portion of .the member 111 has an annular shoulder20' near its front end in close fitting sliding contact with. the insidefront end of the cylindrical portion of the bracket 11, the member 14thus being strongly and securely held in position yet capable of treehorizontal movement. A; coil spring 21 which tsaround the shaft portionof the member 14 and which abuts against the annular portion 17 oiithebracket 11,and the shoulder 20 on the shaft portion of the member 14forms cushioning means for the bumper bar 15. A set screw 22 havingthreaded engagei'neut 'with the i'lange portion of the bracket at thepoint where it is fastened to the automobile is screwed against thev nuton the bolt llthus serving to hold the nut tight and preventing the boltfrom becoming loose and rattling, or a cotter pin may be insertedthrough the bolt in the usual manner.

It will be understood of course that there are two bracket members onefor each 'side of the machine and that when the device is to be appliedto an automobile, the nnts`willsponding member 11 so that the pin 19regis ters With the slot 18 in the shoulder 17, the

rear end of the portion of the head member' 14 being inserted throughthe slotted shoulder 17 and the heed given a quarter. turn, so that whenthe device is in normal position the joinl 19 Will abut against the rearsurface of the shoulder 1'?. The bumpei bar 15 is then secured to theheads of the members 14 by means of bolts 16 passing through holes ineach end or the bumper 15 and throughl the Slots in the head portionsofthe mennbereM. The bumper bar 15 is then moved vertically until thefront por ion of the members 1% end the bumper bar project foi'- W'ai'din a plane horizontal to that occupied bythe automobile as a whole, anda hole drilled through. the splash pon to correspond with the hole inthe rear end of the bracket 11 The boltl is inserted therethrough so asto hold the bracket 11 securely in position. i A buinpel bar circular incross Section or of any other shape ymay be provided, and the Shape of4the heed ofthe. meinbei" 15 changed accordingly eo to provide properfastening ineane lt will thus be that the device muy be applied to anautomobile With very little trouble and Without the'splesh pans, on eacheide of the .machinei and can be attached to the machine in such mannerthat shocks sustained by the bumper bar 'are 'transmitted to the frameof the machine in a straight line.

lt will be understood that While l have any of the 4 vparte except thedrilling of holes through Leia/lee the detailed construction Withoutdeparting from the spirit or Scope of the invention.

l claim: i

l. The combination with an automobile having splash pane secured to theforwardly projecting portions of its Side frames, of a bumper bar,brackets on the forward ends oit' which said bumper bar is mounted, saidbrackets being pivotally mouited upon the Side fra-nies of theautomobile and each lizwinga rearwardly projecting portion. overlyingthe adjacent splash pan and means for rigidly securing the inner end-ofthe reer- Warclly projecting porti-on of each bracket to the adjacentsplash pan at a predetermined point to locate the bumpei bar et thedesired height. f

The combination with an eutoniobile having spleen pane secured to therori/Vardlj' projecting portions of its side frames, or" a bumper bei',bracliele on the forward ende of which Said bumper bar is mounted, saidbrackets being pivotally mounted intermediate their ende upon the sideframes o?? the automobile and each having a rearf' :dly projectingportion overlying the j ecent Splash pan and means for rigidljsecuringthe inner end of the rearwardly projecting portion of each bracket tothe adjacent splash lpan :it a predetermined point to locate 'thebuinpei bei' at the deeired height.

Signed at Chicago, in the State of Illinois, this QStliIda'y of May, A.D. 1917.

ANDREAS M. SONNICHSEN l/Vitnesses:

T, MILLER, L. E. Hennen

